Members’ GESAC swim centre protest
17 Jan 12 @ 06:00am by Jenny Ling
The centre was supposed to open in December, but the swimming pools are empty, the pool hall ceiling is unfinished and landscaping is incomplete.
And while the indoor courts, creche and cafe are nearly finished, the gym needs to be fitted with equipment and furnishings.
Glen Eira Mayor Jamie Hyams said compensation had not been discussed.
“Members have paid a two-week deposit. The yearly membership doesn’t start until it opens,” he said. “Overall I don’t see that it’s going to cost them any extra because their memberships will start later and run later.”
Construction stopped over Christmas and builders were expected back on site yesterday, with work now expected to be finished in March.
More than 3000 people have bought memberships.
Sarah Boukouras said she understood it was not the fault of GESAC, but “surely they could extend a little goodwill for those of us who have been without a gym now for months?”
Glen Eira Debates 
January 17, 2012 at 9:55 AM
Goodwill from Jamie Hyams, that’s never been seen before, he has bucket loads of goodwill for the CEO and absolutely nothing for the residents. Just another traitor to the residents.
January 17, 2012 at 3:20 PM
Handing back money to those individuals who took out membership might be a nice public relations gesture, but it doesn’t go far enough in addressing the central question – when did this council know that gesac would not be available for the summer season? If their advertising continued when they knew that there was no prospect of people accessing the facility, then I’d argue that this is a case of false advertising and compensation should be due in some way. It’s all very well to state that people only handed over two weeks subscription payments, but that is still on the promise of being able to use gesac. Either way, I doubt whether this council has been as open and honest as they needed to be in this entire saga.
January 17, 2012 at 4:55 PM
Paying compensation because GESAC is late opening. You sound like an American lawyer. Do you really think that the Council knew that the facility would not open when they set about selling gym memeberships. Not everyone thinks like you. You would argue a case for false advertising. I am sure that Mr. Newton is getting worried already. It is unfortunate that GESAC is not ready on time. It is also unfortunate that all over Australia the building industry shuts down for 4 weeks over Christmas. The building schedule was always ambitious. It will open and people will love it. You will be able to go down for a swim then report back to the blog all the things that you feel are wrong with the place. I look forward to your report Mr.Evans.
January 17, 2012 at 6:26 PM
I’m afraid that Mr Newton would beat me hands down when it comes to lawyers. Whether or not “Council knew that the facility would not open when they set about selling gym memberships” should be expanded to state that as late as December 6th, there were full page ads in Leader on other aspects of gesac. By this stage they definitely knew that gesac would not be opening on time. Yet, there was not one word in any of this ad, and the previous ads, about any anticipated delay in opening. Even though I know nothing about the law, I would still expect some notification to residents otherwise this to my way of thinking does fall under false advertising.
Whether people “love it” as you say, or whether they ultimately find that the costs are just far too high – especially in comparison with Waves – well, only the future can tell us this. The people that I’ve been speaking with are already complaining about exorbitant entrance prices and transport options.
I will visit when opened, if only to gauge how well our money has been spent, and whether it has all been worth it.
January 23, 2012 at 9:19 AM
Zarsoff, a 40mn project that is not tracked closely… I doubt it. There should be enough meeting minutes or late construction payment releases to suggest this project was to miss the planned opening. Perhaps a wise choice would have been to keep the prospective members announced through the GESAC website.
I think the biggest mistake was the planning of a swim centre opening to sync with the Australian summer. They should have known any delay would simply catalyst the backlash, as resident want a water hole on a 40C summer day. This delay could also create headache to the Council budget and in turn the rates, as the planned first year revenue would go haywire. The highest membership turnout would have been expected in the peak of summer, lowest in the dead winter. As it missed the peak, GESAC will have to operate with a lower than expected membership until next summer – funded by ratepayers. Although the operating budget might get messed up, the only positive is the total project’s capital budget was not blown out.
I see a lot of risks that weren’t identified – hence think it’s right to suggest poor management overall. Projects like these should never be treated as construction projects only – how they interact with the society, its timing sensitivity etc should have been considered in the big picture.
January 17, 2012 at 6:03 PM
Off course they haven’t they been open and honest, they have no idea what that means. They have been calculating and cunning as usual, and none caring of the people concerned.
And what do we get from Jamie Hyams, he job seems to be to cover-up CEO mistakes, giving us the impression its more important to protect the CEO than support residents.
Time and time we have seen this behaviour for Cr Hyams. It’s always all the way with the CEO. The people that voted for him get shafted every time. This may have something to do with Hyams living outside of his elected ward. Maybe he just doen’t give a stuff about Tucker Ward because he does not live there. I for one wouldn’t vote for a councillor that is absent from the Ward he seek to represent.
We have an election this year, remember Cr Hyams and is abandonment of the residents concerns on CESAC, every time there been a issue, from awarding the use of the new centre to the Oakleigh club of none-ratepayers over the local basketball club that are ratepayer. Ripping off local parkland in Bailey reserve for carparking. Now the GESAC membership fiasco.
Vote him out and teach him the lesson, that to ignore your voters is a risky strategy. I would put a genuine local person in his place, you couldn’t do worse, and you may get someone that live in the ward who cares about the ward.
January 17, 2012 at 8:20 PM
There is no law that says that ratepayers get priority in use of facilities. Cr. hyams will be re-elected especially if people like yourself run against him. He takes into account the whole city, not just Tucker Ward. Magee wanted to be the Mayor of Tucker Ward and not interested in the rest of the city. We are all thankful that he lost the toss. The citizens of Caulfield stump up alot more rates than the citizens of Bentleigh. Anyway Nic. I hope you are enjoying the free days at the races.
January 17, 2012 at 9:36 PM
What I find appalling about Hyam’s comment “Members have paid a two-week deposit. The yearly membership doesn’t start until it opens,” he said. “Overall I don’t see that it’s going to cost them any extra because their memberships will start later and run later” is this.
When Council announced the delay in the December GESAC opening, they stated a January opening – so rather than buy a season ticket, or enrol in classes at alternative venues, residents and members (probably for economic reasons) decided to stick with GESAC. Now, instead of an official Council announcement, the delay is extending and media leaks are being used to inform. The latest estimate is March, 2012. Because of Council’s utter failure to reveal all of GESAC’s woes, members/residents were prevented from making an informed choice (season vs casual membership) and are hence paying a premium for late enrolment in various acquatic and sporting programs or missing out altogether.
So please explain Cr. Hyams, your worship the mayor, how it isn’t costing residents/members more.
Could you also please explain the reason for the delay (other than blaming the builder) and give a realistic estimate of the opening date – by opening date I mean the date the first actual paying customer (member or daily vistor) walks through the door and has access to all the facilities.
January 18, 2012 at 12:38 AM
Now do not forget that this perswon who is supposed to be interested in the residents of Glen Eira and the Mayor before him and Cr Lipshutz all voted in favour of C60 giving away Crown Land for a park other councillors and the police stated was a very unsuitable place for a park> This group also favoured agreeing in total aalmost completely to further slicing up of the Caulfield Racecourswe Reserve thus leaving the people of Voctoria only a “PIP” less than 15% of total are with a 2 kilometre long “yellow Brick Road” supposedly for jogging.. I feel it would be for jarring bodies.. lower limbs and backs!! and of course with a tunnel entry which is used by 6oo horses twice daily over real estate sold to the MRC (FORMER ROADS) and NOW lent to the general public for the moment UNTIL THE MRC SELLS OFF THE WESTERN AREA NEAR THE GLEN EIRA ROAD ROUNDABOUT!!!
Now with regard to GESAC Mayor Hyams…
How would you explain to a young child that you had made a committment for a large sum of money to use the pool for summer instead of going on a beach holiday? If the children loved the crooked cartoon charcters (with the pirate like eyecover and all) who were in the advertising only last month would they understand that it was all total deception and that as you as a parent now owed a lot of money and couldn’t go anywhere!!
And can any of us understand that our councillors have been able to afford to go away on expensive holidays … they didn’t fall for the trap of thinking they were going to holiday at GESAC!!! Oh bu now the children will be pleased to hear that we might get the item cheaper if we “buy it” in the middle of winter!!! YTell all that to the children.
January 18, 2012 at 9:21 AM
Educate your children in how the system works, how to recognise and not to vote for pseudo independent councillors like Hyams and his cohort. Anything that Hyams would explain to you or your family would been pure spin. That’s his day job in real life, and he like to practise in Glen Eira.
January 18, 2012 at 11:21 AM
My concern is or the many staff who have been hired for GESAC. Were they given a start date when employed? Are they now in limbo? Are they being paid?
January 18, 2012 at 3:23 PM
Get a life people, have any of you dealt with construction companies before?
You cannot control when they will finish a project, they will keep giving you dates and then extend them the next time you speak. You can be critical of council for many things, but on projects such as this it would be more surprising if it were finished on time.
January 18, 2012 at 3:41 PM
Yes Anon, one would hope for completion on time but could also expect a delay. Only in November did Council advise of delay and then it was opening in January. Now it is not known when it is opening.
The complaints Anonymous are principally about the total absence timely advise from Council on a estimated opening date and a reasonable explanation for the delays. There is nothing unreasonable about expecting to be kept informed.